Should City Councilor Remove His Mask?

Nov 04, 2026 | News On Japan

HYOGO - A city council in Hyogo Prefecture has postponed a decision on whether newly elected councilor and professional wrestler Billyken Kid, 52, should be allowed to wear his trademark mask during assembly sessions, following his first-place finish in the Kawanishi City Council election held in October.

Billyken Kid, an independent newcomer, secured the highest number of votes in the election, becoming the first masked professional wrestler to serve as a local assembly member in Hyogo Prefecture.

An active professional wrestler, Billyken Kid has long been involved in community activities, including organizing local wrestling events and visiting children's facilities.

He hopes to continue his duties as a city councilor while wearing the mask that has become his trademark, but the question of whether face coverings should be permitted inside the council chamber has prompted discussions among assembly members.

The council has yet to reach a conclusion, leaving unresolved whether Billyken Kid will be allowed to attend official proceedings in his familiar masked appearance.

Source: ABCTVnews

Typhoon No. 31 Regains Strength as Heavy Rain Threatens Kanto

Typhoon No. 31 (In-Fa) was moving northwest over waters south of Japan as of 9 p.m. on November 3rd, regaining strong typhoon status with a central pressure of 970 hectopascals, while a rapidly developing low-pressure system associated with its northward movement is expected to bring more than 200 millimeters of rain to parts of the Kanto region and Izu Islands between November 4th and 5th.

Kyoto's Sagano Romantic Train Enters Final Autumn

Kyoto's popular Sagano Romantic Train is attracting large numbers of foreign tourists for its final autumn season, with the familiar red-and-black carriages set to retire at the end of 2026 after carrying a cumulative 30 million passengers, making way for new trains scheduled to enter service in 2027.

Ryukyu King and Queen Appear at Shuri Castle

A king and queen dressed in elaborate traditional Ryukyu costumes appeared at Shuri Castle in Okinawa on November 2 as the annual Shuri Castle Restoration Festival celebrated the former kingdom's cultural heritage and built anticipation for the November 23 public opening of the reconstructed main hall.

Kyoto Plans Tougher Restrictions on Short-Term Rentals

Kyoto City announced plans on November 2nd to introduce tougher regulations on private lodging facilities, including a requirement for staff to be stationed permanently inside the properties or in nearby buildings, as complaints from residents continue to rise over noise and disruptive tourist behavior.

Japanese National Confirmed Dead in Spain High-Speed Train Collision

Spanish authorities have confirmed that a Japanese national was among the 69 people killed in a collision between two high-speed trains in central Spain on October 28, while Japanese officials are continuing efforts to establish the identities of victims following the disaster, which also left about 200 people injured.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Politics NEWS

Should City Councilor Remove His Mask?

A city council in Hyogo Prefecture has postponed a decision on whether newly elected councilor and professional wrestler Billyken Kid, 52, should be allowed to wear his trademark mask during assembly sessions, following his first-place finish in the Kawanishi City Council election held in October.

Protesters Rally to Defend Japan's Pacifist Constitution on 80th Anniversary

Japan marked the 80th anniversary of the promulgation of its Constitution on November 3rd, with demonstrators gathering outside the National Diet to defend its pacifist principles as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pushes for constitutional revision and an early parliamentary proposal.

Japan Faces Diplomatic Test as Putin Eyes International Stage

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi held rare bilateral talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of a G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 30 and 31, raising questions about whether Russian President Vladimir Putin could return to major international summits and how Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi would respond to a possible encounter with the Russian leader.

Japan, U.S., Australia and India Confirm Quad Cooperation

The foreign ministers of Japan, the United States, Australia and India met in the United States on October 31st, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening cooperation on economic security, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence under the four-nation framework known as the Quad.

Chinese Female Spy Suspected of Targeting Nvidia Chief

U.S. intelligence agencies suspect that a Chinese female intelligence operative developed a close relationship with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in an attempt to obtain confidential corporate and U.S. government information, according to a report published by The New York Times on October 29th.

Bankrupt Yubari City to Complete Debt Repayment Next Year

The city of Yubari in Hokkaido, which declared financial collapse 20 years ago, is preparing to complete repayment of approximately 35.3 billion yen in debt by March 2027, paving the way for lower property taxes, improved municipal employee salaries, and a renewed focus on public services.

Japan Blocks Websites Leaking GMO Personal Data

The Japanese government has asked major telecommunications operators to forcibly block access to websites believed to contain personal information stolen in a cyberattack on GMO, it emerged on October 29th, as authorities moved to prevent further exposure of sensitive data online.

Japan and Germany Agree to Launch New AI Dialogue Framework

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced on October 28 that Japan and Germany had agreed to establish a new high-level dialogue framework on artificial intelligence following talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Tokyo, marking a step toward closer cooperation between the two countries in emerging technologies.

< 2 3 4 5 >